Metaplanet adds $67M in Bitcoin following 10-to-1 stock split
Metaplanet, a Japan-based company, has recently made a significant investment in Bitcoin, purchasing 696 BTC for 10.152 billion yen ($67 million). This brings their total Bitcoin holdings to 4,046 BTC, valued at over $341 million at the time of writing.
The company, often referred to as “Asia’s MicroStrategy,” has been actively accumulating Bitcoin as part of their strategy to lead Bitcoin adoption in Japan. In fact, they have set a goal to accumulate 21,000 BTC by 2026. With their current holdings, they rank as the ninth-largest corporate Bitcoin holder globally.
This recent purchase comes shortly after Metaplanet issued 2 billion Japanese yen ($13.3 million) of bonds to buy more BTC. The company has been making strategic moves to increase their Bitcoin holdings, including a 10-to-1 reverse stock split to lower the price per trading unit and improve liquidity.
The reverse stock split was completed on March 28, and the company’s stock price has risen significantly since then. This has created a high barrier to entry for retail investors, with the minimum amount required to purchase their shares on the market now exceeding 500,000 yen. The stock split aims to address this issue and expand the firm’s investor base.
Metaplanet’s purchase also comes during a period of institutional dip buying, with Michael Saylor’s Strategy announcing their latest acquisition of 22,048 BTC for $1.92 billion. The company now holds over 528,000 BTC acquired for $35.63 billion, showing their confidence in Bitcoin despite global market uncertainty.
This uncertainty includes US President Donald Trump’s looming tariff announcement, which may create significant volatility in both crypto and traditional markets. However, institutions like Metaplanet and Strategy are still showing strong interest in Bitcoin, indicating its potential as a safe-haven asset.
In conclusion, Metaplanet’s recent Bitcoin purchase and strategic moves demonstrate their commitment to leading Bitcoin adoption in Japan. With their growing Bitcoin holdings and the support of other institutional investors, Bitcoin’s future looks promising.
Trump-linked crypto ventures may complicate US stablecoin policy
A US dollar-pegged stablecoin launched by a cryptocurrency platform tied to US President Donald Trump’s family could complicate ongoing bipartisan efforts to pass stablecoin legislation in Congress, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.The Trump-linked World Liberty Financial (WLFI) crypto platform launched the World Liberty Financial USD (USD1) US dollar-pegged stablecoin in early March, prompting concerns over potential conflicts of interest.Despite political pushback from Democratic Party lawmakers, WLFI’s stablecoin plans are in line with the current US stablecoin legislation, according to Anastasija Plotnikova, co-founder and CEO of blockchain regulatory firm Fideum.“The planned backing, audits, qualified custody, public blockchains and no native yield-bearing — all these elements are well in line with the GENIUS and STABLE acts,” she said in an interview with Cointelegraph.“I would argue that this is a direct expression of support to the US-based stablecoins, and in any case, the stablecoin issuer is subject to the authorization of OCC, state regulators and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve,” she added.Related: Stablecoins, tokenized assets gain as Trump tariffs loomThe launch comes as two major stablecoin bills move through Congress. The STABLE Act, introduced on Feb. 6, aims to create a clear regulatory framework for dollar-denominated payment stablecoins. It focuses on transparency and consumer protection and enables issuers to choose between federal and state oversight.Source: STABLE ActThe GENIUS Act, short for Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins, would establish collateralization guidelines for stablecoin issuers while requiring full compliance with Anti-Money Laundering laws. The act recently passed the Senate Banking Committee by a vote of 18–6.Related: Trump turned crypto from ‘oppressed industry’ to ‘centerpiece’ of US strategyTrump’s USD1 stablecoin is “throwing a wrench into bipartisan efforts”While some see WLFI’s stablecoin as a positive signal for crypto adoption, others fear it may complicate the passage of current legislation, politicizing it in the process.“Trump’s new US dollar-pegged stablecoin, USD1, is throwing a wrench into bipartisan efforts to pass stablecoin legislation, possibly something like the GENIUS Act,” according to Dmitrij Radin, the founder of Zekret and chief technology officer of Fideum.“With the Trump family holding a major stake and revenue share, critics like Senator [Elizabeth] Warren and Representative [Jim] Himes are calling out potential conflicts of interest,” Radin told Cointelegraph, adding:“The concern would be that any law could be seen as financially benefiting Trump, making some lawmakers hesitant. While the bill could still pass, this twist might delay it or force stricter rules to keep it neutral.”While stablecoins appear ready for mainstream adoption, “political drama” may push innovation offshore if regulators become overly restrictive, Radin said, adding that banks and the Federal Reserve are still “pushing back” against stablecoin adoption.Meanwhile, crypto industry professionals have urged US lawmakers to create more regulatory clarity around stablecoins and crypto banking relationships before legislators switch their focus to crypto tax laws.Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered
Crypto ETP outflows, explained — What investors need to know
What are crypto ETP outflows? Crypto ETPs give exposure to digital assets via traditional financial instruments. When more money exits these products rather than entering them, it is known as an “outflow” rather than an “inflow” — i.e., more people are selling than buying. Crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) hold crypto assets as their underlying commodity. The goal is for them to provide an exchange-traded investment for investors who want exposure to crypto without directly buying the digital assets. Many investors, particularly institutions, prefer this method, as it opens up crypto investing within traditional financial instruments. There is no need to venture into unregulated market areas or take responsibility for the security and safety of crypto assets. There are several types of crypto ETPs available, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), exchange-traded commodities (ETCs) and exchange-traded notes (ETNs). Most famously, Bitcoin ETFs were approved and began trading in January 2024. These crypto ETPs are widely traded and often account for the majority of trading volumes — both inflows and outflows. If you’ve been following the price action of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin (BTC), then you’ll likely have seen stories about crypto ETP outflows. So, what are crypto ETP outflows? This occurs when money flows out of these investment products, indicating that the market is eager to sell off positions. The reasons for this can vary, including profit-taking, negative market sentiment or risk adjustment.Crypto ETP investment trendsThese crypto fund outflows can be large and drive serious volatility in the markets. For example, in March 2025, global crypto products shed $1.7 billion over the course of a week. This compounded outflow totals $6.4 billion in the trailing five weeks. During this time, 17 consecutive days of outflows were recorded, causing the longest streak since records began in 2015. As an investor, understanding ETP flow offers insight into institutional investor sentiment. This can often precede the wider market movements in the coming days and weeks. Outflows can signal warning signs of a changing market dynamic. In the case of record-breaking outflows, it could point to a shift in how institutional money is viewing risk within the crypto markets. Factors driving crypto ETP outflows ETP outflows are driven by a mix of factors, which include economic conditions, industry concerns, regulation, market cycles and more, that can be used to spot upcoming market moves. So, if ETP flows can be a useful way to gauge sentiment changes in the market, then it is critical to understand what drives these flows. Crypto markets are fickle and can move quickly on news cycles. Adding to this, there are several other common factors that correlate to driving ETP outflows:Macroeconomic headwinds: Economic uncertainty and bad news can lead to money flooding out of risky assets. This often includes US Federal Reserve policy concerns, inflation data and interest rate uncertainty. Security concerns: Hiccups within the industry can make investors nervous, especially during news of fraud and hacks such as the $1.5-billion Bybit hack in early 2025.Regulation development: Shifting government positions on crypto can lead to money flows. Particularly, anti-crypto political moves and taxation can spook ETP investors. Market cycles: After significant market gains, pullbacks start to occur as institutions enter a profit-taking phase to book in their profits. This selling action draws money out of the market. Institutional sentiment: Major financial institutions make up a significant chunk of the market. If they decide to reassess their crypto allocation, outflows can begin as strategies move to less risky assets. Technical indicators: Many investors watch technical indicators closely. If key support levels are broken on major cryptocurrencies, selling pressure intensifies quickly.Often, multiple factors, as explained above, can create a perfect storm for retreating investor sentiment and lead to an unprecedented scale of outflows. Understanding these factors can help you to spot the difference between normal volatility and fundamental market shifts. Impact of ETP outflows on crypto markets Crypto ETP outflows are signals of significant sentiment shifts, which in turn continue to put downward pricing pressure on crypto markets. Prolonged outflow streaks are cause for concern for crypto investors, as they indicate a critical shift in investor sentiment for cryptocurrency. Long streaks suggest that market conditions have become particularly challenging. Generally, outflows start with Bitcoin ETPs, as it is the most well-known and largest cryptocurrency. This can then spread to ETPs for other assets like Ether (ETH) before creating a loss of confidence in the whole crypto market. During these periods, you’ll quickly see direct price pressure on crypto assets trickle down the markets. During large ETP outflows, cryptocurrency experiences significant price corrections, which can hit 20% or more in a matter of weeks. Liquidity is also affected, with total assets under management (AUM) dropping by billions of dollars. With more sellers than buyers in the market, the reduced liquidity makes selling harder for many crypto assets, further adding to the downward price pressures. Market sentiment quickly becomes contagious as negativity spreads from institutions to retail investors. When this happens, even the strongest growth streaks can be terminated as excitable bull runs halt. ETP outflow indicators Knowing the key indicators can help provide early warning signals for investors looking to anticipate big market moves. The concentration of flows in specific products and understanding regional discrepancies can create targeted monitoring to spot investment opportunities. Indicators favored by investors include:Volume: Unusual spikes in ETP trading volumes usually precede large outflow events. Typically, this spike can signal something important about investor sentiment or market conditions. For instance, a large uptick in volume may indicate that investors are preparing for or responding to news, market movements or shifts in sentiment.Premium/discount shifts: Premiums and discounts refer to the difference between the price at which an ETP is trading in the market and its actual net asset value (NAV), which is the value of the assets held. Shifts in premium/discount can give insight into market sentiment or potential future price movements. For instance, if an ETP that usually trades at a premium suddenly starts trading at a discount, it could signal waning investor confidence in the underlying assets or broader market concerns.Leading product indicators: Leading product indicators are products or assets that tend to signal broader market trends. For example, a movement in the BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), a dominant Bitcoin ETF, can indicate growing institutional interest in Bitcoin, which may signal future market growth. These products often lead the way for similar assets or broader market sectors. The performance of industry-leading products is closely monitored by investors, as their price fluctuations can act as a barometer for upcoming trends in both crypto and traditional markets, helping predict broader market shifts.Institutional holdings reports: Institutional holdings refer to the positions held by large investment entities like mutual funds, pension funds and hedge funds. These firms often hold large quantities of assets or securities, and their decisions can have a significant impact on the market. A change in major institutional positions could indicate a shift in how these large players view the market or specific assets. For example, if a large institutional investor starts reducing its position in a particular stock or ETP, it might signal that the investor believes the asset’s price is going to decrease or that they are adjusting their portfolio based on broader economic factors.Flow momentum indicators: Flow momentum indicators track the rate at which capital flows in or out of a market or asset. An acceleration in outflows typically signals panic or growing market uncertainty as investors rush to withdraw funds. Conversely, the deceleration of outflows suggests a stabilization in sentiment, as fears may subside or investors look to reenter the market. Monitoring these indicators helps investors assess the intensity of market sentiment over short (days/weeks) and medium (months) terms, offering insights into whether the market is facing a temporary dip or a more prolonged downturn.Regional flow discrepancies: Regional flow discrepancies refer to the varying capital outflow patterns across different geographic regions. During market sell-offs, US-based investors often lead the way in pulling funds out of the market due to their significant market share and risk appetite. This can result in more substantial outflows in US markets compared to other regions. However, these discrepancies can also present opportunities for international investors, especially when one region shows resilience while others are panicking. Tracking regional trends is crucial for understanding the global dynamics that drive market movements and investor sentiment.Cross-asset correlations: Cross-asset correlations examine how different asset classes, like cryptocurrencies and traditional financial markets, move in relation to one another. Typically, high-risk assets like Bitcoin often show a correlation with tech stocks or other volatile assets. When traditional markets experience turbulence, such as a downturn in equities, crypto markets may also dip as investors seek safety. Conversely, during periods of growth in traditional markets, cryptocurrencies might see inflows as investors look for higher returns. Understanding these correlations enables investors to make more informed decisions by anticipating how crypto markets will react to broader economic conditions. Crypto ETP inflows and outflows: 2024–Q1 2025 trends and insights In 2024, crypto ETPs saw record inflows of $44.2 billion, led by Bitcoin and Ether products, despite minor year-end outflows. However, 2025 experienced a sharp reversal, with significant outflows starting in February, resulting in $2.55 billion in net inflows by March 10.Here are the key highlights of 2024–2025 crypto ETP flows:2024 net inflows: According to CoinShares, the total net inflows for 2024 reached $44.2 billion, a 320% increase from the previous record of $10.5 billion set in 2021.Bitcoin ETPs inflows: Bitcoin ETPs alone saw $38 billion in inflows, accounting for 29% of Bitcoin’s total AUM of $130 billion.Ether ETPs inflows: Ether-based ETPs also performed well, with late 2024 momentum pushing annual inflows to $4.8 billion, representing 26% of ETH’s $18.6 billion AUM.Minor outflows in 2024: Despite the overall positive net inflows, there were periods of outflows, notably in the last trading week of 2024, which saw $75 million in net outflows, as reported on Jan. 6, 2025.Overall positive net inflows in 2024: These outflows were minor compared to the year’s inflows, and overall, 2024 had no significant net outflows, with the net flow being positive at $44.2 billion.Strong start to 2025: The year 2025 started strongly, with the first three days of January 2025 seeing $585 million in inflows.2025 net inflows by Feb. 10: By Feb. 10, 2025, year-to-date net inflows reached $7.3 billion, with five consecutive weeks of inflows, including a notable week ending Feb. 10 with $1.3 billion in inflows, where Ether ETPs saw $793 million in inflows, outpacing Bitcoin.Reversal of inflows starting Feb. 17, 2025: However, there was a sharp reversal starting from the week ending Feb. 17, 2025, with the first significant weekly net outflows of $415 million, according to CoinShares.End of 19-week inflow streak: This marked the end of a 19-week inflow streak post-US election, amassing $29.4 billion, far surpassing the $16 billion in the first 19 weeks of US spot ETF launches in 2024.Continued outflows in late Feb. 2025: The outflows continued, with the week ending Feb. 24, 2025, seeing $508 million in Bitcoin outflows, and the week ending March 3, 2025, recording the largest weekly outflows on record at $2.9 billion, bringing the three-week total to $3.8 billion.March 2025 outflows: The week ending March 10, 2025, saw another $876 million in outflows, bringing the total outflows over these four weeks to $4.75 billion. Starting the week of March 17, cryptocurrency ETPs saw liquidations accelerate, with $1.7 billion in outflows recorded. This brought the total outflows over the past five weeks to $6.4 billion, according to CoinShares’ report. Crypto ETP inflows surge; AUM declines (as of March 31): Global crypto ETPs saw $226 million in inflows for the week ending March 30, following $644 million the week before. Despite this two-week positive trend after a five-week outflow streak, total AUM dropped below $134 million by March 28. Altcoins recorded $33 million in inflows after four weeks of outflows totaling $1.7 billion. Future of crypto ETPs Despite worryingly large outflow events in 2025, the continuing growth in new ETP varieties hitting the market indicates a continued financial interest in the space.Especially considering the longer-term growth trend of crypto AUM, the future of crypto ETPs as a strong investment vehicle and market driver is strong. Large outflows can be concerning for investors in the short term, but even severe pullbacks of 20%–30% can be recovered during a larger market cycle. In fact, many investors believe these pullbacks are healthy during periods of growth as investors take profits and consolidate market positions.Regulatory evolution appears positive, particularly in the US, with President Donald Trump being pro-crypto. He’s even signed executive orders to try and improve approaches to crypto regulation and form a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and digital asset stockpile. New crypto ETPs are frequently being filed by financial institutions eager to broaden their offerings for investors. In addition to Bitcoin and Ether products, Solana and XRP ETPs have gained significant attention following their approval and launch. These new products have even seen inflows despite downturns in Bitcoin and Ether ETPs.As the crypto market continues to evolve, the launch of new ETPs is likely to drive further innovation and attract a broader range of investors. With increasing regulatory clarity and growing institutional interest, future offerings may expand to include other promising cryptocurrencies. As a result, you can expect continued diversification in the crypto ETP space, with potential for increased inflows and new market opportunities, even amid fluctuations in established assets like BTC and ETH.
Crypto hacks top $1.6B in Q1 2025 — PeckShield
Hackers stole more than $1.63 billion in cryptocurrency during the first quarter of 2025, with the Bybit exploit accounting for more than 92% of total losses, according to blockchain security firm PeckShield.PeckShield reported that over $87 million in crypto was lost to hacks in January, while February saw a dramatic spike to $1.53 billion, largely due to the Bybit attack. That incident was one of the largest crypto thefts to date.In addition to the Bybit hack, other attacks in February caused $126 million in losses. This included a $50-million exploit targeting Infini, a $9.5-million hack on zkLend and an $8.5-million loss from Ionic. Hack-related losses dropped significantly in March, decreasing by 97% from February. PeckShield reported only $33 million in crypto assets were stolen last month. Some funds were even recovered, helping offset damage to users and protocols.Crypto hacks saw a 131% year-over-year increaseAccording to PeckShield, the first quarter of 2025 saw more than 60 crypto hacks. The blockchain security firm said the $1.63 billion loss in Q1 2025 represented a 131% year-over-year increase from the first quarter of 2024, when losses reached $706 million.The largest incident in March was a $13 million exploit involving decentralized finance protocol Abracadabra.Money. PeckShield said the attacker drained 6,260 Ether (ETH) from the protocol on March 25.Crypto hack losses in March. Source: PeckShieldRelated: North Korean crypto attacks rising in sophistication, actors — ParadigmThe second-biggest incident during the month was an $8.4-million hack on the real-world asset (RWA) restaking protocol Zoth. On March 21, security firm Cyvers flagged a suspicious Zoth transaction, an attacker withdrawing $8.4 million from the protocol’s wallets. The assets were converted into a stablecoin and transferred to another address. While millions were lost in March, some cases saw assets being returned. On March 7, a crypto hacker who stole $5 million from decentralized exchange (DEX) 1inch returned 90% of the funds. After a smart contract vulnerability was exploited, the DEX offered a 10% bounty to the attacker, worth $500,000, in exchange for returning the rest of the crypto assets. The hacker obliged and sent back $4.5 million to 1inch. Magazine: Mystery celeb memecoin scam factory, HK firm dumps Bitcoin: Asia Express
Binance ends Tether USDT trading in Europe to comply with MiCA rules
Binance has discontinued spot trading pairs with Tether’s USDt in the European Economic Area (EEA) to comply with the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has delisted spot trading pairs with several non-MiCA-compliant tokens in the EEA in line with a plan disclosed in early March, Cointelegraph has learned.While spot trading pairs in tokens such as USDt (USDT) are now delisted on Binance, users in the EEA can still custody the affected tokens and trade them in perpetual contracts.USDT is available for perpetual trading on Binance. Source: BinanceAccording to a previous announcement by Binance, the spot trading pairs for non-MiCA-compliant tokens were to be delisted by March 31, which is in line with a local requirement to delist such tokens by the end of the first quarter of 2025.Delistings on other exchanges in EEABinance is not the only crypto exchange delisting non-MiCA-compliant tokens for spot trading in the EEA.Other exchanges, such as Kraken, have delisted spot trading pairs in tokens such as USDT in the EEA after announcing plans in February.According to a notice on the Kraken website, the exchange restricted USDT for sell-only mode in the EEA on March 24. At the time of writing, the platform doesn’t allow its EEA users to buy the affected tokens.Kraken restricted USDT to sell-only mode in the EEA on March 24. Source: KrakenAmong other non-MiCA-compliant tokens, Binance has also delisted spot trading pairs for Dai (DAI), First Digital USD (FDUSD), TrueUSD (TUSD), Pax Dollar (USDP), Anchored Euro (AEUR), TerraUSD (UST), TerraClassicUSD (USTC) and PAX Gold (PAXG).Related: Tether acquires 30% stake in Italian media company Be WaterKraken’s delisting roadmap in the EEA only included five tokens: USDT, PayPal USD (PYUSD), Tether EURt (EURT), TrueUSD and TerraClassicUSD.ESMA doesn’t prohibit custody of non-MiCA-compliant tokensBinance and Kraken’s move to maintain custody services for non-MiCA-compliant tokens aligns with a previous communication from MiCA compliance supervisors.On March 5, a spokesperson for the ESMA told Cointelegraph that custody and transfer services for non-MiCA-compliant stablecoins do not violate the new European cryptocurrency laws. On the other hand, the same regulator previously advised European crypto asset service providers to halt all transactions involving the affected tokens after March 31, adding a certain extent of confusion over MiCA requirements.Magazine: How crypto laws are changing across the world in 2025
Bitcoin sellers 'dry up' as weekly exchange inflows near 2-year low
Bitcoin is currently facing a new phase of consolidation as exchange inflows reach multi-year lows, according to recent analysis. This means that the pressure from sellers has significantly decreased, indicating a potential shift in market sentiment.
Axel Adler Jr., a contributor to onchain analytics platform CryptoQuant, noted in a recent post on X that Bitcoin sellers have “dried up.” This is evident in the sharp drop in the average daily BTC inflows to major crypto exchanges, which has decreased from 81,000 to 29,000 BTC per day. This is the lowest level since May 2023, when BTC was trading at less than $30,000.
Adler believes that this decrease in sell-side pressure is a positive sign for the market, as it shows that buyers are comfortable with the current price levels. He predicts that April and May could be a consolidation period before the next major price movement.
The recent data also suggests a more neutral stance from traders, with the Coinbase Premium, a proxy for US exchange demand, hovering around neutral levels. This is despite the lack of a significant price rebound. However, short-term analysis shows a potential uptick in inflows this week, with the exception of global exchange Binance.
According to CryptoQuant contributor Joao Wedson, founder and CEO of data analysis platform Alphractal, short-term holders are sending significantly less BTC to Binance compared to other exchanges. This could indicate a lower selling pressure on Binance and a more neutral stance from traders.
Overall, the decrease in exchange inflows and the neutral stance from traders suggest a potential shift in market sentiment. This could be a positive sign for Bitcoin’s future price movements, as it indicates a potential supply shortage in the market. However, as with any investment, it is important to conduct your own research and make informed decisions.
The future of digital self-governance: AI agents in crypto
Opinion by: Tomer Warschauer Nuni, chief marketing officer of Kima NetworkNo one should be surprised that the crypto space is actively discussing the new wave of enthusiasm around AI and its limitless uses. According to proponents, AI represents the most promising approach to enhancing blockchain technologies and decentralized applications, driving greater autonomy and efficiency across the ecosystem.The use of AI agents in crypto trading and interoperability between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi) has been quite fruitful. They also help improve user experience within the ecosystem and play a key role in enhancing the scalability of blockchain networks as they grow.In December 2024, VanEck reported that AI agents were already numbering 10,000 and that they were expected to reach 1 million in 2025. This projected growth shows how seemingly inevitable this future is for believers and skeptics alike.The current state of AI agents in the digital world It is easy to see why everyone is excited about integrating AI agents into nearly every digital process. They enhance several processes with no or less effort from humans.Current challenges, however, including the ethical concerns identified by the Vatican, do not allow for their full adoption. Crypto investors also felt the heat after DeepSeek’s release, which led to a massive market loss. This risk-to-reward analysis may well be used to discuss the necessity of AI agents in the crypto industry.The market capitalization of AI agents in crypto rose 322% in the fourth quarter of 2024, from $4.8 billion to $15.5 billion, indicating that more people in the crypto community are accepting AI. The phenomenon of the absolute autonomy of systems is not so far away if we look at the advantages.AI agents’ trading, analysis and risk management capabilities are widely reported to be better than those of humans. Every decision made in the market is made quickly and is strongly supported by as much data as possible, reducing human errors that can cause losses. There are some good indications of this potential. Edwin is a project that aims to combine AI and decentralized finance, enabling the easy integration of AI agents built on top of frameworks like LangChain and ElizaOS to work with DeFi platforms, including Aave and Uniswap. This makes creating a single interface and securely performing blockchain operations easier, removing the need to learn different protocol integrations. Recent: Microsoft for Startups backed project: Web3 AI workforce on demandThis allows for a utopia of financial automation, or “DeFAI,” where AI agents can control their financial destiny and manage and control their assets in a highly complex, dynamic environment.For example, ElizaOS offers a robust multi-agent simulation environment to develop, deploy and manage many autonomous AI agents. It’s a versatile platform that enables these agents to move between various systems while preserving their identity and knowledge toward fully active and self-directed entities in the crypto realm.AI agents can combine all the functions of TradFi and DeFi without issue. They can cut out the intermediaries in international transactions, improving the speed of handling crypto and fiat financial transactions. They can also enable liquidity providers to manage their stablecoin yields completely automatedly and maximize their yields according to current demand across all blockchains. These integrations are an indication of the endless possibilities in cross-border payment transactions.In a September 2024 report, the Global Digital Visionaries Council predicted that by 2025, 20% of all financial transactions would be crosschain due to the integration of TradFi and DeFi systems. Projects like Virtuals Protocol go further by enabling users to create, own and deploy autonomous AI agents. Although the initial application of Virtuals Protocol is the creation of AI-driven avatars, the protocol offers resources that can be used for autonomous crypto trading, showing the versatility of AI in blockchain ecosystems.Autonomous market and personalization is also improving with the help of AI. Crypto’s first AI agents index, Cookie.fun — developed by Cookie DAO — provides real-time analysis of agents’ performance, mindshare and engagement across blockchains and social media. The platform lists their market caps and “smart following” to track market trends and provide vital information that investors and projects can use to make better decisions and identify the top-performing agents in the ecosystem.AlphaNeural provides a decentralized environment for the training, market share and effectiveness of AI models and agents. It also has a marketplace for AI assets and a GPU aggregation network that enables creators to tokenize their work and secure and scale the execution of AI solutions. In this manner, the current opportunities for developing advanced AI tools are open for everyone, which connects AI developers with the crypto ecosystem.The crypto analyst community is confident that AI technology can improve most blockchain performance metrics. The crypto ecosystem is also experiencing rapid user growth, which means that the level of personalization in customer interactions is also increasing due to the use of AI agents.The skeptic’s point of viewNevertheless, many still have different opinions regarding promoting digital autonomy in crypto through AI agents.One significant concern raised in a case study published by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is the potential effect on the stock market from the increased risk of market manipulation. In theory, collusion between trading algorithms powered by AI could lead to price inefficiencies that might weaken the efficiency of financial markets. In such cases, the bots could manipulate prices up or down or cause a price surge or crash, eroding the market’s credibility.Many people have also expressed concerns over relying on AI agents to make decisions because they are prone to hacking. Poorly programmed agents may be unable to resist certain types of cyberattacks, resulting in capital loss.Without a drastic solution to such threats, risks, and legal and ethical issues, the skeptics will always have a valid argument against integrating AI agents in this area.AI-driven autonomyCryptocurrencies and their supporters have been slow to warm up to AI agents, but they really should, given how useful they’ve been in so many areas. These integrations will likely improve trading, help onboarding from TradFi to DeFi, and offer other features. The utopia of completely autonomous AI control crypto experts describe is just around the corner.The integration of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology unlocks the door to endless possibilities and may pave the path to a new digital era for humanity and its bots.Opinion by: Tomer Warschauer Nuni, chief marketing officer of Kima Network. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
OpenAI to release its first ‘open’ language model since GPT-2 in 2019
OpenAI, one of the leading artificial intelligence firms, has announced that it will be releasing an “open” version of its language model this year. This means that developers will be able to run the model on their own hardware, giving them more control and flexibility.
In a recent update, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared that the company will be launching a powerful “new open-weight language model with reasoning” in the coming months. However, before its release, the company is seeking feedback on how to make it as useful as possible.
Altman also mentioned that this will be the first “open-weight” model since GPT-2 in 2019. This is a significant change from their previous models, which were fully closed. The company will be hosting developer events in San Francisco, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region to gather feedback and allow developers to play with early prototypes.
An open-weight language model is publicly available for anyone to use, download, modify, or deploy for their own purposes. While it’s not as open as an open-source model, it still provides more accessibility and transparency compared to their previous models.
Altman also shared that the company is working on GPT-4.5 and GPT-5, which are expected to be released in the coming weeks or months. This comes at a time when the AI arms race is heating up, with the launch of rival DeepSeek and Alibaba Group’s new open-source AI model.
Meanwhile, Google has introduced its latest experimental AI model, Gemini 2.5, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that their AI model family, Llama, has hit 1 billion downloads.
The release of an “open” language model by OpenAI is a significant step towards making AI more accessible and transparent. It will be interesting to see what developers will build with this new model and how large companies and governments will use it for their own purposes.